Our Work with Children

Everything we do has just one goal: the sustained well-being of children, especially the most vulnerable.

We work with families, communities, and partners to ensure that children enjoy good health, are educated for life, experience the love of God and their neighbours, and are cared for, protected, and participating.

Our Approaches

Everything we do has just one goal: the sustained well-being of children, especially the most vulnerable.

We work with families, communities, and partners to ensure that children enjoy good health, are educated for life, experience the love of God and their neighbours, and are cared for, protected, and participating.

Emergencies

In disaster situations, children are always the most vulnerable to the effects of malnutrition and disease

World Vision works around the clock to bring hope and relief to children and families whose lives are threatened in the wake of disasters. Thanks to the support of our committed donors, we've helped over 10 million people worldwide- providing food, shelter, water and healthcare.

gallery • Friday, February 12th 2016

El Niño dries up water in Honduras

Author

Although there is no official estimate, it is expected that about 170,000 children under 5 are facing malnutrition and disease due to the lack of clean water in Honduras.

So far this year, El Niño has affected 1.4 million Hondurans, or 16 percent of the total population, according to the Permanent Commission of Contingencies (COPECO).

"The drought is so intense in southern Honduras that surface water in many places are deepening and groundwater reserves are depleted at a faster rate," said Javier Mayorga, Project Coordinator of Water and Sanitation World Vision Honduras .

Without enough water, children are susceptible to disease and both children and their mothers spend more time fetching water from distant sources.

In some communities, near Choluteca, in southern Honduras, natural water sources have almost dried-up completely, creating a crisis that is affecting children and their families, animals and eventually the land, which is losing some of its production potential. The drought is also increasing the demand for health services due to the upsurge in cases of dengue, chikungunya, diarrhoea and the Zika virus.

Lucio, 70, like the majority of the small farmers in El Naranjo, is pensive and he sits atop his small crop of maize that has dwindled due to low rainfall. The drought in Honduras is threatening food security and nutrition of children. The loss of livelihoods forces people like Lucio to start migrating in the search of an income to pay for food.

Holding back tears - Even though they were smiling, Kevin, 10, and Denilson, 8, are face a bleak scene produced by the drought. They have both come a long way from their homes to fetch water from a provisional well they built with the help of Pedro, 52, which has dried out.

"On the third day we found wet sand and that was the signal that we would find water. We did not have to keep walking after water," said Kevin.

Sandy, 2, Deybin, 4, and Geissel, 7, also come with their mothers to get some water to take home every day.

Andrea, 12, is another girl who comes everyday with her three siblings to take water from the 7 metre deep well. 82 families in the community of Los Querques come to this well to get water to wash with, since it is not clean enough to drink.

Carlos, 11, Escarleth, 5, Jocelyn, 3, and their mother Juana, 38, hope that help can reach their community soon. A project implemented by World Vision will help them ensure they have a reliable supply of safe water. “I often get up at one in the morning to help my mom Juana to get some water. If there are many people at the waterhole, then I will fetch only one or two gallons,” says Carlos, who sleeps few hours sometimes. Then he goes to the forest to cut firewood for cooking, to then return to the well.

The name Las Pilas means “tank to store water” in English. But in the community of the same name, the opposite is happening. Despite forest cover, high temperatures, dry land and a lack of water is affecting the 180 inhabitants - half of whom are children.

This hole was dug in the river bed from where 36 families get their water. Elena, 21, said that it takes up to half an hour to fill a 5-gallon bucket. Women, men, boys and girls take turns starting at midnight in order to get enough water.